Single arm adjustable support for lamp shades and switches



Aug. 4, 1953 e. H. KERNODLE {2,647,986

SINGLE ARM ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR LAMP SHADES AND SWITCHES Filed July 25, 1949 INVENTOR George H. fli' 'nodle ATTORNEY- Patented Aug. 4, 1953 SINGLE ARM ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR LAMP SHADES AND SWITCHES George H. Kernodle, Washington, D. C. Application July 25, 1949, Serial No. 106,667 1 Claim. (01. 240-148) This invention relates to improvements in shade and switch supports for electric lamps, and more particularly to a novel single arm support for use with light bulbs of various sizes.

Table lamps having a bulb socket projecting upward from a base are ordinarily provided with a shade support comprising two rigid wires or rods extending upward from the socket around the bulb to a central fitting over the center of the bulb, the lamp shade being secured to the central fitting. Such shade supports are commonly known as harps, and both solid and tubular type harps are known in the art. Shade supporting harps generally have their arms close to the surface of the light bulb and difiiculty is encountered in replacing aburned-out bulb because of the small clearances allowed. It is also diflicult and often impossible to substitute a. light bulb of larger capacity in lamps provided with. conventional harps because of the lack of clearance and lack of adjustability.

It is an object of this invention to provide a single arm lamp shade support adaptable for use with any conventional sizes of light bulbs, and which may be readily deflected to permit the easy insertion or removal of a light bulb in or i from the lamp socket.

It is another object of this invention to provide a single arm lamp shade support which is adjustable vertically and also rotatable on a vertical axis to permit its shade connection to be shifted out of line from the vertical bulb axis.

It is another object of this invention to provide a single arm lamp shade support adapted to also support a lamp switch above the light bulb for convenient lamp actuation by the shade finial or ornament.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an economical single arm adjustable lamp shade support adapted to be used in lamps of various types of construction and provided with various types of shades, reflectors, bowls, or other light directing and/or diffusing constructions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the lamp art from consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. Referring to the drawings for the purposes of illustration:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of the upper portion of a table or floor lamp having a single arm adjustable shade support, the lamp shade being indicated in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is an elevation view of the upper por- F ber I3.

tion of the same type of table or floor lamp having the Figure 1 shade support adjusted to accommodate a larger size light bulb.

Figure 3 is an elevation view, partly cut away, of the upper portion of the single arm shade support provided with a lamp switch positioned for actuation by the shade finial.

Figure 4 is an elevation view generally similar to construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, but with the top portion of the single arm shade support swung to one side to permit the light bulb to be easily replaced.

Referring particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the upper portion of a lamp base is designated by the numeral ID. A T-type fitting H is secured to the top of the base 10, and an'upstanding socket I2 is supported by the upper end of the fitting H. Extending laterally and then upwardly from the fitting H is a tubular arm member l3 having a hollow vertically extending portion M. The tubular arm member [5 has its lower end within the hollow portion l4, and a thumb screw or equivalent device It is provided for clamping the member IS in and to the mem- The member I 5 has a curved portion shaped to curve around the spherical portion of the light bulb l1, and has at its upper end a fitting l8 normally positioned vertically above the top of the bulb IT. The fitting It! may include a standard tiltable hollow connector stud I9 to receive the ring member 23 of the lamp shade 2|. The shade 2| is supported by conventional radial arms 22 extending outward from the member 20 as part of the lamp shade frame. A finial 23 is provided to clamp the member 20 to the fitting I 8. As illustrated in Figure 3, it is generally preferable to provide the upper end of arm (5 with a switch housing 25, such as disclosed in my copending application, Serial Number 103,110, filed July 5, 1949. The switch housing 25 may be secured directly to the arm l5, as shown in Figure 3, or it may be secured to the tiltable stud l9 projecting above the fitting l8, as shown in Figure 4. The switch housing 25 may contain a single circuit or multiple circuit electric switch having a projecting operating stem for switch actuation by the finial 23, as shown in my above-mentioned copending application. A multiple circuit switch is used where a multiple filament bulb I1 is used to provide for closing the electrical circuit to any one or more of the bulb filaments. The lead wires to the switch housing 25 are enclosed in the tubular single arm support l3 and I 5, and pass through fitting ll. Multiple filament bulbs having filaments providing up to one-hundred and fifty watts power are available, and may be used in lamps having a single filament bulb by providing an additional contact in the bulb socket and by properly adjusting the effective length of the single arm shade and/or switch support shown herein. In using multiple filament bulbs of this type it is customary to support the bulb in the upright position as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the single arm adjustable support may also be used where it is desired to have the light bulb depend downward from a socket at the top of the lamp. It will also be understood that the support illustrated may be made with the curved portion 13 similar to the curved portion l5, with the straight adjustable portion between the two curved portions, thereby providing the support with an elongated G-shape for use with either upstanding or depending sockets.

In assembling a lamp such as shown is Figure 1, the fitting H is secured to the base and a socket i2 is secured to the fitting. The arm l3 extends from the fitting H and has a portion [4 substantially parallel to and spaced from the vertical axis of the socket l2 and bulb H. The upper portion 15 of the arm is inserted in the portion l4, swung about a vertical axis to place the fitting over the bulb ll, and is clamped in position by the screw IE or equivalent clamping means. The shade support 20 is then placed on the upper end of tiltable stud l9 and clamped with the finial 23. The stud l9 permits the shade to be tilted as and when desired. To replace the bulb H, the thumb screw i6 is loosened and the upper arm l and fitting 18 are swung to one side, as shown in Figure 4, thus permitting the bulb H to be easily unscrewed and replaced. Where it is desired to insert a larger size bulb, such as replacing a twenty-five watt bulb with a seventyfive watt bulb or with a multiple filament bulb, the upper arm l5 may be raised in the lower arm M to provide adequate clearance between the fitting l8 and the top of the bulb.

Where the lamp switch is provided in a top switch housing 25, as shown in Figures 3 and 4,

for actuation by the finial 23, the lead wires from the switch housing 25 extend downward within the stud l9, fitting l8, arms 15 and I4, into the fitting II where suitable connections are made with the socket l2 and the power supply through the lamp base H). The socket I2 may be a multiple contact keyless socket for use with both single or multiple filament bulbs.

It will be readily apparent that the constructions illustrated and described provide a shade and switch housing support which is easily adjustable laterally for bulb replacement, adjustable vertically for various bulb sizes, and adapted for use on lamps with or without a finial-operated top switch. In the latter use, the electrical lead wires to the top switch are completely enclosed and the socket i2 may be of an economical type without any switch devices therein.

Other advantages and numerous modifications and changes in minor details, proportions, and designs of the structure illustrated will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and may still be within the scope of my invention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

An adjustable lamp shade and lam switch supporting fixture comprising in combination: a hollow-fitting adapted to be secured to a hollow lamp base and adapted to support an upwardlydirected bulb socket, a single tubular hollow arm having one end rigidly secured to said fitting, said arm extending laterally outward from said fitting and then vertically upward adjacent the side of said bulb socket to substantially the top of said socket, the interior of said hollow arm being in communication with the interior of said fitting, a second tubular hollow arm having its lower end telescoped within the upper end of said first hollow arm and being pivotable therein on a vertical axis and also slideable therein in a vertical direction, clamping means carried by said first hollow arm and engaging said second hollow arm to secure the said second arm adjusted in a desired position with respect to said first arm, said second hollow arm having its upper portion curved first outward and then upward and then inward to a point substantially in line with the vertical axis of said hollow fitting, a second hollow fitting secured to the upper end of said second hollow arm, the interior of said second hollow arm being in communication with the interior of said second fitting, a hollow tubular housing positioned above said second hollow fitting, a hollow universal joint connector securing said tubular housing to said second hollow fitting, the interior of said housing being in communication with the interior of said second fitting through said hollow universal connector, said housing being adapted to engage and support a lamp shade frame and being adapted to contain a lamp switch connected to said bulb socket by electric wires passing through the interiors of said connector, second fitting, second arm, first arm, and first fitting, said supporting fixture providing for adjustment or said lamp shade support housing in vertical directions, in horizontal directions, and also providing for adjustment of said lamp shade support by tilting of its vertical axis to off-vertical directions.

GEORGE H. KERNODLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 129,114 Beardsley et a1. Aug. 26, 1941 D. 129,117 Beardsley et a1. Aug. 26, 1941 1,235,020 Ewing July 31, 1917 1,665,703 Kernes Apr. 10, 1928 1,762,189 Noe June 10, 1930 1,798,013 Colbert Mar. 24, 1931 1,994,410 Texier Mar. 12, 1935 2,136,369 Belcher Nov. 15, 1938 

